St. John’s Episcopal Church
207 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401

The Good News of St. John’s

  1. May 20, 2021

    Reminders for In-person Worship at St. John’s: From Rev. Michelle

    The recent announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has muddied the waters in many ways and created a problematic situation for houses of worship, especially those of us who wish to be inclusive and ensure everyone feels welcome at God’s Table.  For now we will observe all previously announced safety protocols at St. John’s.  The leadership will assess the need to continue utilizing them as we move forward and as the pandemic’s grip on us continues to lessen. 

    Sundays at 10:00 am
    Thank you in advance for observing the following guidelines for in-person worship:

    • Enter and exit through the front door if you are able to.  The ramp entrance is reserved only for those who need to use it.
    • Everyone must wear a mask over nose and mouth while in the building.
    • A 6 ft. distance must be kept by people at all times.  The sanctuary has been marked off to assist with this.
    • We will continue to have a cantor lead our singing and the congregation may sing but not at full voice.  We are not yet ready to have the choir sing together.
    • We will have Eucharist in bread only and the bread will only be handled by Rev. Michelle, including before service begins.
    • Everyone will be encouraged to leave the building immediately after worship.  People may gather outside to have conversations.  We will not have coffee hour until further notice.  NOTE: We will have food outside under tents on June 13th when we celebrate Deacon Sue’s ministry.
    • No one may enter the kitchen or the parish hall until further notice so we can reduce the traffic and continue to keep the volunteers of Angel Food East as safe as possible.
    Here is the current schedule for Worship and Programming at St. John’s:
    • Sundays at 10:00 am will be in-person only.
    • For the time being, we will hold a Sunday morning Zoom service at 8:00 am.  We will assess the need to continue later this summer.
    • Tuesday Compline at 9:00 pm and Wednesday Centering Prayer at 5:45 pm will continue as online services.
    • NEW: We are canceling Friday Morning Prayer.

    If you have questions or concerns about changes to the worship pattern, please contact Rev. Michelle.

     

    ____________________________________________________________________________

    The Incredible Ministry of the Vestry

    Dear Ones:  The Vestry of St. John’s is a deeply faithful group of people who meet most months throughout the year in order to discern how to best utilize our temporal assets to support our mission.  I’m always impressed by the wisdom and care demonstrated by these individuals and how they work together as a ministry team.

    We realize we need to communicate more with everyone at St. John’s about the Vestry’s work.  To that end, our newly installed Clerk of the Vestry, Corrina Malamas, will be providing recaps after each Vestry meeting that summarize the discussions and decisions made in the monthly meeting so please look for these in future newsletters and be sure to contact one of the Vestry members if you have any questions.  And don’t forget to thank them for their ministry!

    In God’s love and mine, Rev. Michelle

    For the month of May, here is the Vestry Meeting Recap:

    • In April, the Vestry voted to hire Preservation Architecture to do a full building assessment for our upcoming building project.  At the May meeting, the Vestry began putting together a team to begin planning for the capital campaign portion of this project. This also includes researching for potential grant money from the Diocese.
    • Another team was created to fully develop a rental plan for the building, and the kitchen, in particular. The goal is to begin renting the kitchen sometime this fall and develop a stream of income.
    • The vestry voted on two items. The first item was the approval of a contract with KCBL Carpentry to repair the sill plates in the rectory garage. The work is required due to deterioration along the base of the garage. The second vote was to re-join the Mid-Hudson Fuel Buying Co-Op, a group which allows us to negotiate the best possible fuel prices for the winter.
    • Finally, the Vestry is beginning the work of creating a contact tree to direct questions to designated individuals. This will include asking parishioners to volunteer, so if there’s an area you would like to cover for the contact tree, please contact Rev. Michelle at michelle.stjohnskingston@gmail.com

    _______________________________________________________________________

    Announcements for
    May 23, 2021

     

    Save the Date:  Celebrating the Ministry of Deacon Sue Bonsteel as she retires from active diaconal ministry.  Sunday, June 13 – worship at 10:00 am in the Sanctuary and afterwards, we will have a party on the lawn in her honor.  Look for an email invitation with more details this coming week!

    Summer Yardwork and Gardening Team: If you’re interested in helping keep the parish grounds looking great all summer, now’s your chance.  We’re putting together a rota of people to help with mowing, trimming, garden tending, and miscellaneous jobs.  Contact Rev. Michelle and let her know what job(s) you prefer and if you have vacation scheduled between June 1 and October 1.

    George Floyd Memorial Liturgy: May 25 marks the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, which ignited a worldwide racial reckoning. You are invited to join Episcopalians in an online liturgy of prayerful commemoration at 8:00 pm EST.  Bishops from six dioceses will lead the liturgy, including a reflection by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, a Prayer of Lament from George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, an “Act of Remembrance” from Ferguson, Missouri, and prayers from Washington, DC.  You are invited to participate virtually with prayers and postings on social media in conjunction with the service.
    For more information: Commemoration of George Floyd – Episcopal News Service

    Organ Recitals Featuring Terry Earles: Old Dutch Church in uptown Kingston has refurbished their organ and has asked our Director of Music to help celebrate by offering his ministry of musicianship.  On May 30 at 3:00 pm, Terry will perform in honor of Mary Mine.  And on June 5 at 12:00 noon Terry will perform as a part of the Old Dutch Fine Arts Program.

    Forward Day by Day The new devotional books are here to support your daily prayer and reflection for the months of May, June, and July.  Available in both pocket-sized and large print.  You can pick them up in the sanctuary next to the bulletins or email Rev. Michelle at michelle.stjohnskingston@gmail.com to receive one.

    Flower Memorial Dates Available!  The dates are April 25th, July 18th, September 6th and October 31.  If you’d like to have a date to honor someone, you can contact Elaine Lawrence at 845-532-6585 or by email at eslawrenc@aol.com.

    The Page Turners is the St. John’s book club who meet every first Tuesday evening of the month for good discussion and good company.  All are welcome to attend.  For June 8, the book is, ‘The Midnight Library’, by Matthew Haig and the selection for July 13 is ‘Humankind, A Hopeful History,” by Rutger Bregman. Email or call Lynn Dennison for more information.

    Voices Heard: A series of panel discussions sponsored by the Reparations Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.  The legacy of the transatlantic slave trade is deeply entrenched in the structural systems and legislative actions that govern communities today. This series of panel discussions organized by the Reparations Committee for the Diocese of New York intends to broaden awareness and deepen our understanding of the pressing topics of an intractable nature of systemic racism on education, health, economics, gender, policing and the criminal justice system, the church and more that negatively impact people of African heritage. Bringing experts, community organizers, civic leaders, clergy and laity into dialogue will help to inform us and make commitments for engagement in our own communities as we prepare our cause for action in making recommendations for the task brought forth through Resolution regarding the Reparations Fund.  All panels will take place from 7:00–8:30 p.m. on Zoom.  Registration in advance is required for each individual Discussion.

    • Tuesday, May 25 – Educational Opportunity Denied: The Legacy of Segregated Housing
    • Tuesday, June 8 – Medical Apartheid and Systemic Racism
    • Tuesday, June 22 – Reaching For a Better Tomorrow: The Work and Mission of Hudson Link Working For Higher Education in Prison
    • Tuesday, July 6 – The Awakening of Unwoke People: Church, Religion and State
    • Tuesday, July 20 – Rectors of Color: Examining the Missed Opportunities of Deployment

    For more information or to register:   Webinar ~ Voices Heard: A Diocese Explores Pathways Toward Reparations – “Educational Opportunity Denied: The Legacy of Segregated Housing” (dioceseny.org)

  2. May 14, 2021

    New Worship Pattern Announced – We’re back in the building on Sundays!

    For 14 months, we have waited for the day when it was deemed safe to return to in-person worship.  St. John’s is excited to announce that on May 23, when we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, the following change to our worship pattern will take place.  Please read below for all the details.

    • Sundays at 10:00 will be in-person only.
    • A Sunday Zoom-only worship service will be scheduled for those who need to remain on Zoom.  The exact time of this service will be announced by Friday, May 21.
    • All weekday services will continue online-only for now – Tuesday Compline, Wednesday Centering Prayer, and Friday Morning Prayer.

    Sundays at 10:00 am
    This will be a full Eucharistic in-person worship service in the St. John’s Sanctuary, observing all safety protocols.  We will NOT be broadcasting this service online in any way.  You may wish to review the Space Use Guidelines for St. John’s: COVID-19 Response – St. John’s Kingston (stjohnskingston.org).  Following are some important bullet points:

      • Please enter and exit through the front door if you are able to.  The ramp entrance is reserved only for those who need to use it.
      • Everyone must wear a mask over nose and mouth while in the building.
      • A 6 ft. distance must be kept by people at all times.  The sanctuary has been marked off to assist with this.
      • We will continue to have a cantor lead our singing and the congregation may sing but not at full voice.  We are not yet ready to have the choir sing together.
      • We will have Eucharist in bread only and the bread will only be handled by Rev. Michelle, including before service begins.
      • Everyone will be encouraged to leave the building immediately after worship.  People may gather outside to have conversations.  We will not have coffee hour until further notice.  NOTE: We will have food outside under tents on June 13th when we celebrate Deacon Sue’s ministry.
      • No one may enter the kitchen or the parish hall until further notice so we can reduce the traffic and continue to keep the volunteers of Angel Food East as safe as possible.

    Sundays Zoom-only
    Zoom worship will be offered for those who still need to worship online for whatever reason.  We are still deciding the exact time.  This second service will be provided until the end of the summer at which time we will reassess the need for its continuance.  NOTE: The one caveat to this is on June 13th when there will be one worship service at 10:00 am to celebrate Deacon Sue’s ministry and her final Sunday as the deacon of St. John’s.  We will broadcast this service via Zoom for those who cannot attend in person.  If you intend to worship via Zoom, please use this link to help us decide if this service should be held at 8:00 am or 11:30 am: 2021 Summer Zoom Worship – Vote here – St. John’s Kingston (stjohnskingston.org)

    Weekday Services
    Throughout the pandemic, the weekday services have been an important way to help members of our community stay connected.  We added Compline on Tuesday nights at 9:00 pm and Morning Prayer on Fridays at 8:15 am.  For now, these will continue.

    We’ve had a group meet for Centering Prayer since 2018 and when the pandemic hit, we moved this service online.  Throughout these 14 months, the community that has been formed by this service is a dispersed group – Arizona, Maryland, different parts of New York, and sometimes Ohio.  So, we will continue Centering Prayer as an online-only service.

    If you have questions or concerns about changes to the worship pattern, please contact Rev. Michelle.

    _______________________________________________________________________________

    Returning to the Building: Re-membering the Body of Christ

    Dear Ones:  It was the first week of March 2020 when we began to understand the full impact of what was coming as covid-19 spread with alarming speed across our country and as our region became a center of the outbreak.  Within a week, our bishop Andy Dietsche ordered us to cease in-person worship and we, along with so many other congregations all over the world, began to worship in new ways.

    First, allow me to say that I’m so grateful and deeply moved by how our community of St. John’s adapted to worshipping on Zoom, especially as we experienced “technical difficulties” along the way.  Really, thank you for making the journey.  I’m also aware that, for many of us, “zoom worship” was not a viable option for many different reasons.  And I completely understand.  For me, personally, Zoom has been an extremely helpful and necessary support in a deep time of need, but it cannot ever really replace in-person worship.

    So, as I announced in my sermon this past Sunday, it is time to come back.  It’s time to renew our community by re-membering ourselves as the Body of Christ.  It’s been 14 months now, and I’m really looking forward to being with you in person!  We will be in-person for Eucharist every Sunday at 10:00 in the St. John’s sanctuary.  Please read the notes on safety protocols above.  And, because we know that some people will feel a need to stay on Zoom, we will offer a second Sunday service (time TBA) through the summer.

    Why not a hybrid service?  When the leadership of St. John’s discussed this change, we also discussed the possibility of a hybrid service (broadcasting the in-person worship via Zoom/Facebook).  Here’s why we decided that, for our community, hybrid worship is not a viable option:  We tried it in the fall for several weeks and it never worked well.  And, as so many other congregations are learning, in order to offer a good experience of hybrid worship, we would need more financial, technical, and human resources than St. John’s feels called to allocate for this undertaking.  Instead, we believe we are called to focus our resources on the repairs we need to make to our building, the changes we are called to bring about as we make our space more accessible, and on actively reaching out to the large number of people who moved to Kingston during the pandemic.

    I know the thought of being in-person brings with it some sense of uncertainty and anxiety, even if you are looking forward to it.  It’s perfectly natural to feel this way and please know that I’m feeling it too.  If you’d like to talk about this, please contact me.  My door is open.

    For this week, let us give thanks for this amazing tool called Zoom that has given us a way to be together while we are apart, and to all those who have made worshipping over Zoom possible and sometimes even enjoyable.

    In God’s love and mine, Rev. Michelle

    _______________________________________________________________________________

    Announcements for May 16, 2021

    THIS SUNDAY: The Pastoral Care Team meets after worship at 12:00 noon via Zoom.  See the bulletin for the link to join.

    NEXT WEEK: Beginning on May 23 at 10:00 am, the Feast of Pentecost, we will be in-person only.  Join us in the sanctuary for worship as our 10:00 worship will not be broadcast on Zoom or Facebook any longer.  If you need to continue worshipping online, look for an announcement this coming week for a separate Sunday morning Zoom service, exact time TBA.  Questions?  Contact Rev. Michelle.

    Save the Date:  Celebrating the Ministry of Deacon Sue Bonsteel as she retires from active diaconal ministry.  Sunday, June 13 – worship at 10:00 am in the Sanctuary and afterwards, we will have a party on the lawn in her honor.  Look for an email invitation with more details this coming week!

    Organ Recitals Featuring Terry Earles: Old Dutch Church in uptown Kingston has refurbished their organ and has asked our Director of Music to help celebrate by offering his ministry of musicianship.  On May 30 at 3:00 pm, Terry will perform in honor of Mary Mine.  And on June 5 at 12:00 noon Terry will perform as a part of the Old Dutch Fine Arts Program.

    Forward Day by Day The new devotional books are here to support your daily prayer and reflection for the months of May, June, and July.  Available in both pocket-sized and large print.  Email Rev. Michelle to claim a copy at michelle.stjohnskingston@gmail.com

    Flower Memorial Dates Available!  The dates are April 25th, July 18th, September 6th and October 31.  If you’d like to have a date to honor someone, you can contact Elaine Lawrence at 845-532-6585 or by email at eslawrenc@aol.com.

    The Page Turners is the St. John’s book club who meet every first Tuesday evening of the month for good discussion and good company.  All are welcome to attend.  For June 8, the book is, ‘The Midnight Library’, by Matthew Haig.  Email or call Lynn Dennison for more information.

    Have an announcement for the bulletin?
    Please send by Wednesday at noon to
    stjohnskingston@aol.com.

  3. May 6, 2021

    Reflecting on 2 Decades (and then some!) of Ordained Ministry:
    A Note from Deacon Sue

    When Michelle asked if I would write a few paragraphs about my upcoming retirement on June 13, I felt my heart skip a beat. What could I possibly say after 23 years of active ministry? Except for a period of time when I served first at St. Paul’s, Poughkeepsie and then Christ the King, Stone Ridge, I have have been blessed to be “your” deacon for 19 years.

    I say this because, historically, this has not always been the case in other dioceses where deacons are assigned to other parishes every few years. But when I was ordained in 1998, the practice in the Diocese of New York allowed for a deacon to remain in their home congregation. So I have indeed been blessed to be among you for such a long time.

    While I look forward to retirement, I know that the transition from active ministry will be a challenge. Service has been my life’s work and I will miss so many aspects of church ministry. I would never have believed that I would one day be actively involved in establishing Angel Food East or a death row ministry or an active Episcopal Peace Fellowship chapter. Together we marched in Albany with our friends in the Rural & Migrant Ministry, participated as members of New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty, supported Everytown for Gun Safety/Moms Demand Action, tolled our bell whenever there was an execution to bring attention to capital punishment, and worked on civil rights issues. We collected hundreds of notebooks and pens for jail inmates, donated backpacks, Christmas toys and food for Peoples Place, and supplied toys and clothing for the Darmstadt Shelter. We formed inter-generational teams that joined the annual CROP Hunger Walk and the  Relay for Life at Dietz Stadium to support the fight against cancer. And of course the parish came together for fundraisers and community events like the Summer Fair and BBQ, the Harvest Ham Dinner, and mid-winter soup sales. So many happy memories of fellowship and outreach to the community!

    So what comes next for me? First, rest and then some travel. It will be good to have time to see distant relatives and friends after the long period of covid restrictions. As for church, several of you have asked if I will be able to attend St. John’s after my retirement. No, I will be worshipping elsewhere for the next year. It will be an opportunity to visit my deacon colleagues and other congregations in the area. Roger however can remain active at St. John’s. And the good news is, when I return to St. John’s in the future, you will find me sitting right next to you in the pews.

    Finally, I am incredibly grateful to have served alongside so many wonderful lay people and members of the clergy over the years. You have supported and encouraged me and even brought me to task when I needed it. We have laughed and cried together. You have invited me into your lives and homes and that in itself is a special blessing that I have never taken for granted. Thank you, dear friends.

    Deacon Sue

    _______________________________________________________________________________

    Celebrating Deacon Sue’s Ministry

    Dear Ones:  It’s been such a blessing to be leading you all in ministry alongside Deacon Sue.  She has such a generous heart and is a clear-minded colleague who offers a depth of wisdom to every conversation she’s a part of.  I will miss her regular presence more than you can imagine.  And now it’s time to celebrate her diaconal ministry of 23 years.

    On Sunday, June 13th Deacon Sue will serve as “our” deacon for the last time at St. John’s.  An official email invitation will go out to everyone on the St. John’s mailing list next week so please look for it in your email.

    Bishop Mary Glasspool will be with us on June 13 to preach and preside over worship.  Afterwards, we will have food and beverages in our tent on the lawn.  And plans are being made to create a fund in Deacon Sue’s name so that we may continue her diaconal ministry here at St. John’s.  I so look forward to when she can rejoin us after her time away and witnessing how her baptismal ministry will unfold.

    I sincerely hope everyone in the parish will make it a point to be there.  Deacon Sue has given so much of herself to St. John’s in service to Christ and I believe we all want to let her know just how much she has meant and will continue to mean to all of us.  So let us offer a blessing upon her, as she has been a blessing for us as individuals and for the entire community of St. John’s.

    In God’s love and mine, Rev. Michelle

    _______________________________________________________________________________

    Announcements for May 9, 2021

    NEXT WEEK: The Pastoral Care Team meets after worship at 12:00 noon via Zoom.

    Shifting Worship Patterns: Look for an announcement this coming week from Rev. Michelle that will detail a shift in our worship pattern beginning on the Feast of Pentecost – May 23.

    Organ Recitals Featuring Terry Earles: Old Dutch Church in uptown Kingston has refurbished their organ and has asked our Director of Music to help celebrate by offering his ministry of musicianship.  On May 30 at 3:00 pm, Terry will perform in honor of Mary Mine.  And on June 5 at 12:00 noon Terry will perform as a part of the Old Dutch Fine Arts Program.

    Forward Day by Day The new devotional books are here to support your daily prayer and reflection for the months of May, June, and July.  Available in both pocket-sized and large print.  Email Rev. Michelle to claim a copy at michelle.stjohnskingston@gmail.com

    Flower Memorial Dates Available!  The dates are April 25th, July 18th, September 6th and October 31.  If you’d like to have a date to honor someone, you can contact Elaine Lawrence at 845-532-6585 or by email at eslawrenc@aol.com.

    The Page Turners is the St. John’s book club who meet every first Tuesday evening of the month for good discussion and good company.  All are welcome to attend.  For June 8, the book is, ‘The Midnight Library’, by Matthew Haig.  Email or call Lynn Dennison for more information.

    Have an announcement for the bulletin?
    Please send by Wednesday at noon to
    stjohnskingston@aol.com.